Relief Near For Ramsey Man’s 19-Year Headache

RAMSEY, Minn. (WCCO) — There’s new hope for a Ramsey man who has suffered from a headache for nearly 20 years.

“It’s kind of like getting hit in the head with a bat. It’s that hard dull pain and it’s right across the forehead here,” said Jon Bromenschenkel.

On Jon’s 15th birthday, he injured his head in an ATV accident.

“I flew about 30 feet and landed on my head on the ice. Since then, I’ve had a headache non-stop,” said Jon. “(My mind) is always telling me that I have pain, when there’s really nothing wrong with me.”

Jon says sometimes the pain is so bad that he can’t play with his 3-year-old son, Finnegan.

“(Finnegan) understands that dad can’t do something with him, but not really why so that’s frustrating to me,” said Jon.

With a new member of the family, 3-week-old Fiora, relief can’t come soon enough.

“(Jon) has his up and downs and as a family we try our best to make it work … some days are better than others,” said Jon’s wife, Sarah.

Jon has tried just about everything to ease his chronic pain over the years. Now, he’s confident a breakthrough procedure will change his life for the better.

Earlier this year, Jon flew to New York for yet another attempt to relieve the pain. He tested a newer procedure, called the Reed Procedure, which tricks the mind using electronic pulses. It has been used to relieve back pain, and it’s being used on the head. It worked. The pain was cut in half.

“To have (the pain) cut in half like that, it’s just going to open up my life completely,” said Jon. “I’ve been trying my best while I have this headache, but to have this done would be a miracle.”

There is a problem, however. The procedure is so new that his insurance won’t cover the cost.

A permanent solution would mean implanting wires under the skin on Jon’s forehead.

Jon and his family have paid thousands of dollars already to see if the procedure would work and they are looking for help.